


Farore's Chosen Hero (Linked Universe Reader Insert)

by Linny_the_Champion



Series: The Hero's Stories [1]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Gen, I"M TRYING MY BEST BEAR WITH ME, LU x Reader, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Linny (aka me the author) has no idea what they're doing (sorry!), Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive, The author kinda sucks at descriptions, What's the plot?, i dont know how to plan hELP-, somebody help i dont know how to author, well I'm not gonna tell you, wow bet your wondering why i have major character death as a tag, your guess is as good as mine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26882908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linny_the_Champion/pseuds/Linny_the_Champion
Summary: You and your sister, Zelda, have been restoring the Kingdom of Hyrule after the Invasion and War of Redemption. You're busy with it, but it's great to be able to prove your worth to the citizens of Hyrule.One day out of the blue, a bunch of heroes show up at Hyrule Castle. Sure, it's nice to meet the very heroes you grew up with legends of. But... what do they want from you?This is a reader insert based off of the Linked Universe AU, all credit goes to Nintendo and the lovely Jojo, who created the AU. You're a girl in this story, but feel free to read even if you're another gender. Updates might be a bit slow, so I apologise. This story is a project I'm doing simply to improve my writing, so there's plenty of room for improvement. You can go ahead and give me ideas on what you want to happen next.
Series: The Hero's Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975258
Comments: 23
Kudos: 38





	1. Heroes of the Forgotten Past

“King Link of the Wild was one of the greatest rulers Hyrule has ever known. They say he wore his battle scars as a trophy of victory over death. With his faithful wife Queen Zelda by his side, he managed to restore the great kingdom of Hyrule back to its former glory after the Great Calamity. This led to over a century of peace and prosperity. 

Then, the Zonai attacked. For over fifty years, they had been building forces underground, posing as a peaceful village along the coast, but they were actually descendants of the sea invaders from centuries ago. They attempted to invade, but only managed to secure Hyrule Castle, assassinating the King. Legends say the King sent away the nursemaid with his twin daughters, in hopes that they would survive, and one day restore the kingdom to what it once was,” Auntie Impa read. 

“We should pretend that’s us!” Zelda squealed. 

You nodded. “Read us more while we pretend, Auntie Impa!”

“There will be no more reading, and certainly no pretending,” Auntie Impa told you sternly. “You will be going to bed. You agreed to one story and then bedtime.”

You both whined and complained as you climbed under the covers of your bed, but you and Zelda both yawned after you had been completely tucked in. 

Auntie Impa blew out the candle and kissed you both goodnight. 

But just before you fell asleep you heard her whisper, “Goodnight my little Princesses.”

*** 

You huffed in annoyance. You were playing chess with your sister, Zelda, and she was winning. 

By a lot. 

“Check!” Zelda said with a grin. 

“Dang it!” You shouted. 

You tried to think of how to get out of the mess you were currently in. There had to be some way to win. 

Nope, there wasn’t. Your king was as good as dead.

“Checkmate!” Zelda said gleefully after you had made a pathetic attempt to defend your king.

“You always win,” You muttered. 

“Don’t blame me if I’m good at chess! You dug yourself into that hole.” 

You huffed again. 

Zelda patted you on the shoulder, “One of these days you’ll win. Probably.” 

You rolled your eyes playfully. That was not reassuring in the slightest. 

“Your majesties,” A guard said, entering the room. He got down on one knee before continuing. “Several people are demanding your presence.” 

“Demanding?” Zelda asked with a frown. 

“Yes. More specifically, they demand to see the Hero,” He glanced at you. 

“Tell them to-” Zelda started.

“Wait in the throne room,” You interrupted. Zelda sent you a dirty look. 

The guard nodded before walking back down the hall. 

“Oh come on!” Zelda said angrily, turning to you with the stamp of her foot. “I thought we agreed that I should make these decisions.” 

“Yes, but...,” You said, “Someone demands to see me. It has to be important.”

“Or they could just be very rude,” Zelda told you standing up. 

“I don’t think-” You started, also rising from your chair.

“Nevermind, what’s done is done. Let’s go see what they want,” Zelda said. 

You walked down the halls, greeting the servants as they hung up tapestries or tidied up. Hyrule Castle was only just now getting restored after the invasion.

You shivered despite the warm weather. The invasion was one of the worst things to have ever happened in the history of Hyrule. 

Suddenly, Zelda stopped.

“I… don’t know where we’re going,” She admitted. Even after living in the castle for just over a month, you two still had trouble finding your way around sometimes. 

“Gotcha covered,” You told her before asking for directions. 

_Two rights, one left. Two rights, one left._ You repeated mentally. 

Before you entered the throne room, Zelda paused. 

“Stoic Knight and Perfect Princess Plan 57?” She asked with a grin. You nodded, wiping your face of all emotion. 

Zelda laughed, “I still can’t figure out how you do that.”

You smirked at her, “I still can’t figure out how you win chess.”

She winked, “We all have our talents.” 

You snorted a laugh. 

“Let me see who we’re dealing with,” You told her before peeking out into the throne room. Nine people. They all looked male, although it was hard to tell. You studied them for a minute until realization struck. 

The tunics, the weapons, everything about them… you knew who they were. 

“Zelda…” You whispered. “It’s… They’re…”

“What? Who?” Zelda asked you looking concerned, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Remember those skill lessons I told you about?” You asked her anxiously. 

Her face paled. “Oh.”

You two stared at each other for a bit before Zelda finally said, “Alright, the show must go on. Try not to look too scarred for life.” 

You nodded, regaining your stoic composure before you both walked into the throne room. 

Zelda walked regally as usual, and you walked as assertively as possible, staring blankly ahead. 

Several of the people kneeled in front of Zelda, while some of them just stood there looking like they didn’t know what to do. Much to your amusement, the few that hadn’t kneeled promptly got elbowed in the ribs by their companions. 

“Welcome,” Zelda said after they had all kneeled. “Heroes of the Forgotten Past.” 

Their heads snapped up. Most of them wore looks of horror or surprise while one of them, who looked like he was the eldest, didn’t even flinch. 

“Princess,” He said, rising from his position on the floor. “We are indeed Heroes of the Past, and we request the assistance of the Hero of this time.” 

Zelda nodded keeping a calm demeanour although you could clearly see the surprise in her eyes. 

“Let’s… go somewhere more private,” Zelda said, gesturing for them to rise and follow her. 

She led everyone to a small sitting room down the hall. It had plenty of chairs for everyone, but you refused to sit. Instead, you decided to stand next to Zelda like the knight you were pretending to be. 

“Princess Zelda,” The eldest began once they were all situated. “The others call me Time after my hero name, due to the fact that all of our names are identical. Please feel free to address me this way.”

_Hero of Time._ You noted, _The Great Deku Tree will want to meet him._

Then something clicked. ‘... _due to the fact that all our names are identical…_ ’

Curse Hylia. That meant they were all named Link. She just _had_ to make things difficult. 

“Princess, there’s someone dark, someone downright evil playing with forces they don’t understand,” Time informed us. “Their power as we know it could very well destroy every Hyrule across time and space. That’s why we need the Hero’s help. It will take heroes of every time to defeat him.”

“I thought Ganon had been defeated,” Zelda said, her unease written all over her face. 

“It’s not Ganon,” Time told Zelda, “It’s Dark Link.” 

“Dink!” A young boy jumped in. Time ignored him, and you refused to smile.

“Who?” Zelda asked.

“Trust me, they’re dangerous beyond imagination,” Time warned. He allowed a few moments for that to sink in before asking, “Do we have your permission to recruit your Hero?” 

“Yes,” Zelda replied diplomatically, “Kneel, dear hero, so that I may give you my blessing.” 

You kneeled, holding her hand like the Hero of the Sky once did. 

“Hero chosen by the gods,” Zelda said, “I give you my blessing. You have united the earth and sky, travelled through time and the twilight of our world and uhh… and umm a fancy word or something...” 

You two locked eyes…

…and burst into laughter.

“I can’t do it anymore,” Zelda laughed.

“Me neither,” You agreed, finding it rather hard to breathe. 

When you two managed to recover, you informed the heroes, still wiping tears from your eyes, 

“We try to be professional, but it’s so much harder than it looks.”

You plopped down next to Zelda on the couch she had chosen with a sigh of relief. 

“Everyone expects us to be perfect, but...” Zelda said, shaking her head. 

“We have to fulfil the expectations of the people of Hyrule,” You added.

“And then there’s the Zonai to deal with-” Zelda started. 

The door opened and Aunt Impa came in. 

“I brought you girls a snack! I made your fav…” She trailed off and stared at the crowded room. 

“What in Hylia’s name is going on?” 

“Well…” Zelda said. She gave a quick recap of what the conversation had entailed. 

“What are you doing just sitting there, Link?” Aunt Impa said, addressing you. “You gotta make all of your preparations if you’re going to join them.” 

“Already done,” You told her. You patted a pouch hanging from your belt. “Magic bag remember? Can’t I stay at the castle for a bit longer?” 

“If you’re already packed, then you should say your goodbyes. If this ‘Dark Link’ is as powerful as they say, there won’t be a castle to come back to if you don’t defeat him,” Impa told you. 

You swallowed so loudly you were sure all of the Heroes heard it. 

“Okay,” You managed to say in a small voice. 

***

After a tearful goodbye, which included a lot of hugs and way too many kisses from Impa, you set off with the Heroes. They had explained that you had to lead them since it was your homeland and they were unfamiliar with the terrain. 

This led to a looooong discussion on where to go. Time explained to you that they usually just went where there was strange monster activity. Since there were literally no reports on such a thing, you decided on taking them to the Lost Woods. This would give Time a chance to talk to the Great Deku Tree, and maybe get some advice from the tree on what to do next. 

And so the journey begins. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! That ending was cheesy lol.  
> Go ahead and leave prompts in the comments!  
> A special thanks to my friend who proofreads my chapters (You know who you are)


	2. Nickname!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh... I don't really know what to do for this *nervous sweating*  
> You learn more about your history and you get a nickname so... yay!  
> Enjoy this trainwreck of a chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ughhhhh....... I am so so so sorry for the long wait. I can't believe how much I procrastinated.  
> Enjoy getting a nickname. If you don't like it, I apologize. I take suggestions if you want me to change it.

You and the Links had been walking for the entire day, and you had had a few small conversations with Four about blacksmithing or listened to an exchange between two or more of the heroes. The most amusing thing would have had to be when Legend and Warriors got into an argument about… laundry? You had tuned most of it out, but you were pretty sure they had been arguing about how best to remove stains.

There was only one hero you hadn’t talked to. In fact, you were pretty sure he was avoiding you. 

Wild.

You had grown up with legends of him. You wanted to talk to him _so bad_. But every time you approached him he strayed away, immediately starting up a conversation with someone else.

_How rude!_

However, you knew he noticed you because you could feel his electric blue-eyed stare drilling into the back of your neck constantly. 

Well, fine. If he wanted to play the silent game he could. You had done nothing to deserve this treatment. 

Unless you had? What had you said to him so far? 

You had said thank you after you had received an apple from him at lunchtime. How could that have offended him? It was two words! And polite words at that.

Was he mad at you? For what? He hadn’t even heard of you before now. You came after him. There were literally chapters of your history textbook that talked about him. 

That was it. 

Wild came _before_ you. He literally got to see what a mess his Hyrule was in. _After all his hard work in restoring it!_

Oh no. He hated you. Wild thought you had ruined his Hyrule. 

But you hadn’t! It was the fault of the royal family who had kept secrets from the Sheikah and Zonai, who had attacked Hyrule. 

Oh, wait. _You_ were part of the royal family. 

There were several rather… _creative_ curses going through your mind at the moment. 

Time approached you, stopping your internal panic for the moment. 

“How much longer until we reach the Lost Woods?” Time asked. “All I need is a rough estimate.” 

“About half a day’s walk, if we’re lucky,” You told him. “After I defeated Ganon, there haven’t been as many monsters. The worst might be a stray guardian I haven’t taken care of. We might want to make camp soon.”

“You have guardians?” Time asked, a glimmer of surprise in his eye. 

You sighed. “Unfortunately. The Yiga had uncovered hundreds since the invasion of Hyrule and repaired them. They repurposed them, and they were their personal guards. Since the defeat of Ganon I’ve taken most of them out, but sometimes they pop up. Lately, though, they’ve seemed a bit stronger. Instead of the usual orange, they now have a purple glow.” 

Time hummed in thought. “I’ll have to think this information over. I thought you said there were no reports of unusual monster activity?” 

“There isn’t. The main problem is the guardians, but they just appear out of nowhere. The best thing we can do is keep travelling,” You said. “I should have told you, seeing as you're the leader. Sorry.”

“No harm done,” Time said, “Plus, you said there were only a few, so it shouldn’t be too bad. But if there are any other threats you can think of, tell me.”

You nodded and thought it over for a few seconds, “There’s the Yiga, but all that are left of them are families who got caught in the crossfire of the war and only seek peace. Same with the Zonai. Both have made their home in Kakariko Village, so you might meet some. There are a few soldiers left from the enemy side, but they aren’t too dangerous. Most of them are imprisoned, anyway.” 

“I’ll keep them in mind. May I ask who the Zonai are?” Time inquired. 

“They’re a tribe of people who posed as a peaceful village off the coast. They weren’t a threat, but about fifty years before I was born they uncovered some truths about the royal family and became angry. They teamed up with the Yiga Clan and began gathering resources, repairing guardians, etcetera, etcetera. They stormed Hyrule about fifty years later, but they only managed to take the castle over. It was the day after I was born. They killed everyone inside, including the King who was my father,” You sighed and looked at the ground. “But Impa snuck us out, Zelda and I, that way we could rebuild the kingdom.”

Time stared at you, taking in this new information. There were a few beats of silence. 

But it was quiet, too quiet. You looked up, meeting the gaze of five pairs of blue eyes, a pair of brown eyes and two pairs of green eyes. 

Several of them were gaping at you. You stared right back, feeling a bit fidgety.

Wind, the excitable teen who had called Dark Link “Dink” back at the castle, was the first to break the silence.

“So you’re a PRINCESS?!” Wind all but shouted. “I KNEW IT!”

seven pairs of blue eyes and one p

“Sure you did,” Legend muttered. Wind pouted at him.

“Uh, yeah I am. I thought it was obvious me and Zelda are sisters,” You said. 

You stared straight at Wild as you said this, wanting to gauge his reaction. He broke eye contact. So it was true then. You tried to force down your panic. 

“It was rather clear if I’m going to be completely honest. Although I wasn’t certain,” Time said, scratching his chin in thought.

You hummed in agreement. You two had the same hair and skin tone, but Zelda’s eye colour was slightly different from yours. Zelda was also a bit taller, which kind of annoyed you. 

There was a small beat of silence before Time announced, “We should set up camp. The sun’s setting and I know for certain nobody likes fighting monsters at night.” 

Everyone collectively agreed, and you began making preparations. 

Wind decided he would go get extra firewood, and you followed him, wanting to know about his journey as a hero. And even though you would never admit it, it was also to get away from Wild.

“I swear, you’re almost as sneaky as Tetra!” Wind exclaimed after you had followed him into the woods.

“Who’s Tetra?” You asked. 

Wind started explaining with rapid hand motions. It took you a moment to realize he was signing everything he said. You weren’t even sure he realized what he was doing. 

“Tetra is the captain of a pirate ship, and she’s really cool! At first, she didn’t like me, but now we’re like super-duper best friends! I found her on the way to rescue my little sister, and she helped me sneak into a really dangerous place called the Forsaken Fortress by catapulting me in a barrel, which was really scary but also really awesome. She’s really bossy, but on the inside, she’s really a big softie, but don't tell her I said that. It turns out she was a descendant of the royal family, but she didn’t even know it, so even _she_ was surprised and-” He took a big breath. “-so both of you are really sneaky princesses! You two would probably get along well.” His eyes sparkled. 

“Zelda and Tetra sound pretty similar,” You told him, picking up several sticks. Wind blinked in surprise. 

“In _personality_.” You quickly added.

“Oh, that makes sense!” Wind laughed, gathering some tree bark for kindling. “I thought for a second that your Zelda had catapulted you!” 

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” You mumbled, earning another laugh from Wind. Your brows furrowed.

“What do you mean by ‘my Zelda’?” You asked. 

Wind stared at you in surprise, “That’s right, you don’t know yet! There are Zelda’s for each of us, so we had to make up nicknames for them too.”

You groaned, “Why, why, _why_ does Hylia always have to make things more difficult?”

Wind awkwardly shifted the sticks he had collected into one arm and patted you on the shoulder soothingly.

“Don’t worry, we’ll think of really cool nicknames for both of you,” Wind comforted. “Usually Sky will point the sword at you, the sword glows and then… Boom!-” He made an exploding motion with his hands. “-You’ve got yourself a new name. It’s usually based on your hero name. I don’t think we’ve ever tried it on a Zelda, though.” 

“Fi just… knows our hero names?” You wondered aloud.

Wind gasped, “You know the name of the sword?! Only Sky did. And I think Warriors too? I only learned it last week! Sky is going to freak!” 

And that was how you found yourself being dragged back to camp with Wind, who was practically buzzing with excitement. 

“SKY!” Wind shouted when you arrived back at camp. Poor Sky, who looked like he had been whittling, jumped so hard he practically flew a foot in the air. “You’re never going to believe this, Sky!”

“Goodness, Wind you scared me. What is it?” Sky asked with a gentle smile. 

“You tell him, Princess!” Wind said excitedly pushing you forward a few inches. 

“I… Uh…” You stuttered out as Sky gave you his undivided attention. “I don’t know why this is important or surprising but I know that the spirit of the sword is Fi.”

Sky’s eyebrows shot up so fast they practically flew off his head.

“How?” Sky asked, eyes wide. “Nobody else but Warriors knew when I asked.” 

“What? It’s common knowledge here,” You explained. “Maybe it’s because there was one hundred and fifty years of peace and prosperity in my time so there were lots of archaeological finds and technological discoveries and advancements.” 

“Really?” Sky and Wind asked at the same time.

You thought for a second. “I take that back, it was mostly those first one hundred years. Those last fifty or so were rather shaky for Hyrule.” 

“Has Fi ever spoken to you?” Sky asked. 

“Only after I learned how to listen,” You replied vaguely. Sky raised an eyebrow at that. He opened his mouth to say something when Wild interrupted the conversation, calling everyone for dinner. 

You received a bowl of soup from Wild, and he continued to avoid eye contact. 

He mumbled a quick, “Here you go.” You decided to be the mature one and responded by thanking him and telling Wild how good it smelled. 

You sat between Sky and Wind, hoping to continue the Master Sword conversation you had been having before dinner. 

You took a sip of the soup, which sent chills of delight up your spine. You savoured the slightly spicy taste.

“Oh my goddess!” You exclaimed after you had swallowed. “Wild, your cooking is absolutely phenomenal! How did you get so good at cooking?” 

Wild smiled nervously in your direction, “Thanks. I had to experiment _a lot_.” 

“Which means he made a lot of dubious food,” Twilight mumbled from next to him, earning several snickers from around camp. Wild gave him a much-deserved elbow in the stomach. 

Everyone soon finished up dinner and camp slowly began settling down for the night. 

“Hey guys,” Sky said, getting everyone’s attention. “Since we have a new member we have to get them a nickname.” 

“I love this part,” Wind whispered in your ear as Sky drew the Master Sword. He began mumbling to it and paused. 

_Yes, Master?_ The Sword whispered. You nearly gasped. You hadn’t heard Fi’s voice in so long. 

You looked around as Sky began to mumble to the sword again. It didn’t seem that anyone else could hear the voice.

 _Master, do you wish me to analyze the newest Hero?_ Fi asked in a hushed whisper. Her voice was musical, and every time she spoke the sword glowed with holy light.

Sky nodded. 

_The Hero of Farore. This particular Hero was blessed by one of the Golden Goddesses. Her lineage is one of the main reasons she was chosen, as she has the blood of five different heroes. She does not have the Hero’s Spirit, as it was given to another. Farore saw that Hylia’s Chosen One would not be able to defeat Ganon, and took matters into her own hands._ _Her fighting style is particularly unique, and I have observed little to no patterns. She is stronger and more powerful than she looks, so I advise avoiding provocation. Alternative Hero names: The Chosen Champion, The Hero of Redemption, The Last Hero._

Sky sheathed the Master Sword. 

“Talk about an information dump,” Sky muttered, massaging his head. 

There were several concerned looks being shot in his direction. 

Sky opened his eyes with a sigh and turned to everyone. 

“Alright, I got a few hero names from Fi, as well as some additional information,” Sky said, “There was the Hero of Farore, the Chosen Champion, the Hero of Redemption, and the Last Hero.” 

Everyone looked at you. 

“What do you like?” Time asked. 

“Um… I think my favourite is the Hero of Farore. Champion is a heavy title that I’m not sure I can bear yet,” You admitted. “The title, ‘Last Hero’ was given to me by Hylia and I’m not sure how I feel about it.” 

“What about the Hero of Redemption?” Warriors asked. “That sounds like a good powerful name.”

“ _That_ name was given to me by Ganon,” You explained, a bit of hate lacing your words. “Again, not sure how to feel about it. I don’t even know why Fi included that one.”

“So, something having to do with Farore then?” Four asked thoughtfully. You did a bit of a double-take, as his eyes were a deep purple. 

“Let’s just call you Farore. Nickname problem solved,” Legend said.

“You can’t call me by the name of a _Golden Goddess!_ ” You gasped. Legend put his hands up in surrender. 

“Okay, maybe Faron? Or we can put a more feminine twist on it and call you Farona?” Twilight suggested. 

You considered these options, “What about Floria? Like the lake the Farosh comes out of.”

“Sorry,” Wild apologised, sounding genuine. “My Zelda’s nickname is Flora. I think that would get confusing.” 

“No, it’s fine…” You said thoughtfully. Then an idea came to you. 

“I think I know!” You exclaimed with the clap of your hands. 

“What?” Several of them asked at once. 

“Wild said his Zelda’s nickname was Flora which got me thinking about the creation story. It says that Farore ‘produced all life forms who would uphold the law’. So she created the Flora and Fauna,” You explained. “So maybe…” You hesitated. “Maybe you could call me Fauna?”

“I like it,” Sky said with a smile. 

“Me too!” Wind agreed. There were nods and agreements all around. 

“Looks like you’ve got yourself a new name, _Fauna_ ,” Wind said, elbowing you gently in the ribs. You smiled with flushed cheeks.

“Sky, you’ve got first watch,” Time said. 

Legend snorted, “Is he gonna be able to stay awake?” 

“Why wouldn’t he be able to?” You asked. 

“Sky is our resident sleepyhead,” Twilight said with a small smile on his face.

“Guys, I can stay awake just fine,” Sky complained. “As long as it’s not second watch.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Wind snickered.

“Well, if nobody is confident in my ability to stay awake, then someone can take first watch with me,” Sky said, crossing his arms. 

“I will,” You volunteered. 

“You don’t have to, Prin- I mean Fauna,” Twilight said.

You scoffed, “I’d like to contribute somehow. Heck, I’d take first watch by myself if you’d let me.” 

“Well-” Twilight began to argue.

“Hold it, I’m not done yet. I’m no fool, I know that you guys don’t fully trust me yet. Just let me prove myself my staying up with Sky and keeping watch,” You told them. 

Plus, you could secure Sky as an ally if the others turned on you. You didn’t fully trust them yet either. But Sky… well he seemed like a nice guy. You could easily make friends with him.

After everyone had gone to bed, you and Sky sat side by side scanning the treeline. Any small rustle made your pointed ears twitch. 

“Excuse me, Fauna,” Sky whispered. “Fi told me some things I was wondering about.”

“I heard everything she said. What do you want to know?” You asked him.

“You heard her? I… wow,” He managed. “Nobody else can, no matter how hard they try.”

“I wonder why… Anyway, what is it?” You looked at him curiously. 

“Fi said you had the blood of five different heroes. Who are they?” He asked you.

“I’m not sure. I think I know one of my ancestors,” You told him. “When Farore visited me on my journey she told me that I was blessed because of my potential and my ancestry. She’s the only reason I know I’m related to five of you.”

“Really?” Sky asked with fascination. “I can’t believe you talked to a golden goddess.” 

“Yeah, it’s a little crazy,” You laughed softly. “Although, I’m not sure who I can rule out being related to.” 

“Well, let’s try and figure it out!” Sky whisper-exclaimed. 

“Alright. Obviously, I’m related to anyone part of the royal family,” You said. “You’ve been in the group longer than I have. Who’s a royal?”

“Okay, stay with me here, but do you know of a ‘King Link the Founder’?” He asked. 

“Well duh. He started the royal family and founded Hyrule,” You stared at him. “Why?”

Sky bit his lip nervously. “So, funny story… That’s me, according to the others.”

“ _What?_ ” You whisper shouted. 

“Uh, yeah. The others say the great Hero from the Sky created Hyrule and I’m currently building a village on the surface with Zelda so…” He shrugged. “Who else could it be?”

“Oh goddess,” You muttered, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, greatest grandfather.”

Sky snorted a laugh, “It’s nice to meet you too, greatest granddaughter.”

You two snickered at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. 

You were literally talking with the first King of Hyrule! And he seemed so normal. Just an average teen struggling with getting up on time in the morning. 

“Okay, so we figured out one ancestor,” You said, still chuckling a bit. “And I don’t think I want to find out another tonight. Do you want to know about anything else Fi said?”

“Well, yes. You don’t have the Hero’s Spirit? Who does?” Sky asked. 

You laughed. “You won’t believe this. It's a four-year-old boy named Satoru. He definitely wasn’t born on time, so instead, I took up the Master Sword. As you know I got the goddesses blessing, which is probably the only reason Fi let me use her.”

“I don’t understand why Hylia is always making such awful choices,” Sky said with the sad shake of his head. “A four-year-old? Fight Ganon? They wouldn’t even be able to hold the Master Sword, for Din’s sake!” 

“I know. The golden goddesses have had to take matters into their own hand far too many times,” You sighed. “But I’m glad Satoru didn’t have to endure the same fate I did.”

Sky put a hand on your shoulder, “Thank you.”

“It wasn’t my choice. It was willed by the gods,” You said, not wanting to take too much credit.

“Of course, but you still did well. And you managed to protect that child’s innocence. I couldn’t have asked for more. I know you suffered, but all of us did so others didn’t have to.”

“Yeah yeah, it's in the job description,” You said, brushing off the compliment. 

“And I have one more question,” Sky said. 

“Yeah?”

“Your other Hero names were the Chosen Champion, Hero of Redemption and The Last Hero. Do you mind explaining what they each mean?” Sky asked. “I don’t mind if you don’t want to say. It was mostly because I’ve only ever heard of the title ‘Champion’ from Wild”

I suppose I can tell you, _Gramps_ ,” You joked. Sky cracked a smile. You turned serious and stared at the full moon. 

“The title of ’Hero of Redemption’ was, as you know, a name given to me by Ganon. He said it mockingly because I was the final Hero defeating him once and for all. I was giving you guys your final redemption. It was the final win.”

“So that means you’re the last of us on the timeline.”

You looked at him quizzically, “Timeline?”

“Yeah, long story short Hyrule has a gigantic history with heroes scattered all over the place and we’ve pretty much determined the order of all of us,” Sky told you. “I’m at the beginning and I guess you’re at the end. The stuff in between is a story for another time. It’s way too complex to dive into without help explaining, but we’ll talk about it another time, I promise.”

“And I think you understand my title, ‘The Last Hero’ now. Like I said before, it was just because I was the final hero to defeat Ganon.”

“And the title Chosen Champion?”

“The Sheikah called me a Champion because of Wild. He’s a Myth, a Fairy Tale, a Legend and… well when I said the title was too heavy for me to bear… I really meant that I don’t deserve the title. I probably don’t live up to Wild’s standards of what a Champion should be. I don’t have the Hero’s Spirit! And I-”

“Stop,” Sky said. “Just stop. You deserve the title. You defeated Ganon and you saved Hyrule.” 

“But,” He added when you opened your mouth to argue. “You can’t accept the title as your own until you truly believe what I’m saying.”

You sighed. “I suppose.” 

Both of you were silent for a few minutes.

Finally, Sky patted you on the back. “You should get some sleep.” 

“But the watch isn’t even over!” You argued. 

“I know, but you seem exhausted,” Sky told you gently. 

He was right, it seemed like forever ago they had dragged you away from the castle on this adventure, but in reality it had been just this morning. 

“I suppose I’ll turn in then,” You sighed. You rose from your place on the log and stretched. 

You set up your bedroll and took off a few layers of clothing, leaving only your undershirt and pants. 

“Hey, Fauna?” You heard Sky’s voice whisper. 

“Yeah?”

“Don’t forget, I’m proud of you.” Sky whispered staring into your eyes with a gentle gaze. 

You nodded and curled up in your bedroll.

For the first time in over a year, you fell asleep with a smile on your face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha! How'd ya like this very shakey chapter? I swear I try to outline but then... it kinda just writes itself. Sorry if half of this didn't make sense.  
> ANYway, go ahead and comment about anything, really. If you see errors, let me know.  
> My very Percy Jackson obsessed friend told me that throwing an apple at someone in ancient Greece was considered a proposal... so yeah whatever. Wild didn't propose to you.  
> Another thing, what do you guys want for your outfit? I was thinking lace-up boots, arm guards and a tunic that vaguely looks like Wild's Champions Tunic or something. Just let me know in the comments!


	3. Nothing really important happens in this chapter. The author apologises.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The author favours Wind and Four in this chapter because they're adorable.  
> That's all you need to know. Probably.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys. Sorry about the long wait. I know what you're thinking, "Oh, the author made us wait way too long for this chapter. They probably have something really good planned, right?"  
> Nope. This is a filler chapter. It took a while to write because I got really busy all of a sudden. Oh, and the fact that I rewrote this, like, seven times. This chapter just wouldn't cooperate.  
> Wait! Don't leave yet! This chapter is still essential to the story! Oh, and I changed the eye colours of some of the Links in chapter two.  
> Time, Twilight, Wild, Warriors, Legend and Sky all have blue eyes, Four has brown eyes, and Wind and Hyrule have green eyes. I figured I'd spice things up a bit. Four's eyes being brown makes more sense to me, but his eyes will change colour depending on how he's feeling. Ex: When he's being a smarty-pants, his eyes will be purple.  
> Sorry for rambling!

You walked in comfortable silence with the group, relaxed but still at the ready. These woods were beautiful, with the sun streaming through the trees and birdsong echoing through the forest.

The view was just absolutely stunning.

Yesterday you had been wearing a simple Hylian tunic, hood and trousers after you had gotten back from shopping in Castle Town. This had prevented anyone from recognising you and you had enjoyed blending in while shopping, even if it was just for the morning. 

But travelling with this group… well, why not stand out a little? They already wore pretty crazy clothes.

The outfit you were currently wearing was the most comfortable thing you owned. The tunic had a leather breastplate, armguards, and fingerless gloves. The tunic faded from a champion blue to pine green and on the back of the tunic in green was the symbol of Farore. The breastplate forced your posture making you stand proud and tall. You had trousers with many pouches and pockets as well as lace-up boots on. Farore had given the whole outfit to you at the beginning of your journey. She had called the clothes the Farore’s Hero Set. When you wore it, you had complete protection from lightning and electric-based attacks.

“So, what did you say these woods were called?” Four asked from beside you.

“The Minshi Woods,” You said. “I’ve read legends that say little mice people that wear robes and have feathers for tails live in these woods. I think the fairy tales also say that they also hide prizes in the grass for Hylians to find, and I’ve only found them in these woods. The rest of Hyrule just has crickets and stuff in the grass.”

“Do you believe in the legends?” Four asked. 

“Of course!” You said. “I swear I saw one once, but Zelda said it was just a hallucination. Which would have made sense, since I was bleeding out.” 

“What do you mean ‘would have made sense’?”

“Not long after I saw the mice people, I passed out and I woke up with my wounds fully healed.”

Four grinned, “Which basically confirms that the legends are real.”

“Well, Zelda said it might have been…” You trailed off and shook your head, your smile gone from your face.  _ No slipping any secrets! _ A voice inside your head told you. “Nevermind. I fully believe that the mice people somehow healed me… and stuffed my wallet full.”

“That sounds like them.” Four admitted. 

“You know the mice people?” You asked in surprise. 

“The Minish,” Four corrected. “Or Picori, whichever you prefer. And yeah, I know them. They’re all over my Hyrule.”

“Woah,” You breathed. “Does that mean you have some of these things?” 

You reached into your magic bag and pulled out a small pouch, which opened to reveal…

“Kinstones?” Four asked. “Of course have some! I have way too many for my own good. Let’s see if any of them fit together.”

“Wait, they fit together?” You gasped. “I thought they were supposed to just stay broken.” 

“Nope! If we can find pieces that match, we’ll be a little bit luckier.” 

With several minutes of digging through your respective pouches, you found two separate pieces of a green Kinstone. When you clicked the two pieces together, you heard a soft  _ ping!  _ and it disappeared.

“Cool!” Wind yelled from behind you. “If you find another match, can I use it to be luckier?”

You shrugged. “Sure, if you really want to try it.” 

“Yes!” Wind mouthed, fist-pumping. You giggled.

Your laugh quickly turned into a shiver as you entered the Lost Woods. The humid, chilly fog sent goosebumps all over you. 

You found the crumbling archway and the ever-burning torch behind it. The flame didn’t react no matter how many times Wind tried to make it go out with his Deku Leaf. 

You picked up and lit the spare torch that was always there, no matter how many times you took it. 

“Come on,” You told the group, gesturing for them to follow you. The embers from the torch you were holding drifted in the ever-changing breeze and you followed them, stopping occasionally to make sure you were still heading the right way. 

“I don’t get it,” You heard Wild mumble from behind you. “What exactly are you doing?”

You turned around and gave him a look. “Following the embers to Korok Forest?”

Wild groaned. “That’s how I was supposed to do it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I was supposed to follow the embers the whole time?”

“...Yes?” You answered hesitantly. 

Warriors snorted, “How the heck did you even get to the Master Sword?” 

“I just ran away from the fog that was trying to get me, and then I got to Korok Forest,” Wild explained somewhat frantically as if he couldn’t believe it himself. “And then I scanned the shrine and I never had to step foot into the woods again.” 

“Honestly, Twilight, how do you deal with him?” Legend said with an eye roll. There were a few amused chuckles among the group.

You snorted. Guess it was about time to tune everyone out. 

“MISS HEROINE!” Something small and green slammed into your stomach knocking the wind out of you and making you fall to the ground.

“K-kya?” You coughed. You picked up the small green Korok who had jumped onto you. 

“That’s right, Miss Heroine! Grandpa sensed that some good souls had entered his woods and asked me to come to guide you!” 

“Congratulations on finally getting the job!” You exclaimed. Kya was a relatively young sapling and she had always wanted to guide you through the woods.

“Thanks, Miss Heroine!” Kya squealed. She pulled out her leaf propeller and hovered in front of you. “Yahaha! This way!” 

You laughed and jogged after her. Within the next five minutes, you and the other heroes reached Korok Forest. 

“Yahaha! Great Deku Tree, I brought Miss Heroine!” Kya said.

“Ah, welcome back, Link,” The Great Deku Tree greeted, his deep, earthy voice easily silencing every Korok in the forest. “I suspect there is a reason you’re travelling with The Hero of Time, the Hero of the Wild and… hmm… The Hero of the Wind as well.”

“Yes, there is,” You told him. “In fact, the rest of my travelling companions are also heroes.” 

“Hmm, I suspected. They all have the same presence as your brother.” The Great Deku Tree said. 

Sky was going to have questions for you. You could already tell. 

“I assume time travel is involved?”

“Yes, Great Deku Tree. There was much time travel involved. Hylia has sent us on a quest to defeat some sort of darkness, and we were wondering if you could offer us some words of wisdom to help guide us.” Time said. 

“Deku Tree, I know your roots extend far beyond these woods. Do you happen to sense any darkness nearby?” You added.

“No, so far this kingdom has remained unscathed from darkness, with the exception of corrupted guardians.” The Great Deku Tree said. “But do not fret, Heroes, for if you travel to another time without defeating all of the guardians, I have no doubt in my mind that Zelda and her army can dispose of the threats.”

“Thank you,” You said to him. 

“And before you think of leaving, Heroes,” The Great Deku Tree boomed as you all turned to leave. “I insist that you stay. All of you are on a dangerous quest with no end in sight, how often do you get the opportunity to simply rest? As heroes, it is more important that you rest rather than leaving urgently. I understand that you must keep moving to avoid attacks from monsters, but these woods are completely safe. No darkness is permitted into my forest.”

***

“Andi, Kai, and Maya,” You whispered. “Activate.” 

Three ghosts materialized in front of you. 

Andi or rather, _ Prince _ Andi, was your brother. He wasn’t as identical as you and Zelda, but he looked rather similar. His hair colour was slightly different, as was his skin tone. However, his eye colour and facial features were the same as yours. His hair was about the same length as Wild’s and was pulled back into a loose ponytail. He was one of the few people you knew who actually had common sense and even  _ that _ was iffy. 

Kai was part of the Zonai race, and he wore barbarian armour and had purple war paint all over his body. He also had shoulder-length wavy red hair and purple eyes. He was sassy, sarcastic and kind of rude, but he was also a prankster and tended to mess around a lot. Funnily enough, he had a soft spot for children.

Maya was a former Yiga Clan member. She wore traditional Sheikah clothes rather than the usual red jumpsuit and had the crimson eyes exclusive to the Sheikah Tribe. Her silver hair was twisted into a messy bun. She was a scientist and a strategist, and the smartest person you knew. She was also a bit eccentric and had that crazy scientist vibe. She was more of a child at heart, but in serious situations she was more mature.

All of them were amazing warriors and mentored you in different styles of combat.

You had perched yourself on one of the Great Deku Tree’s branches, avoiding the other heroes for the time being. Especially Sky. You didn’t want to endure the one million questions game. Thankfully, you had been able to sneak away unnoticed.

“Bout time!” Kai exclaimed. 

“How long were we out?” Andi asked.

“When did we get to Korok Forest?” Maya wondered.

You held up your hands, signalling that you wanted quiet. “All will be explained in due time. It all started when…” 

You explained the whole situation, how the Links had come to the castle and demanded to see you, how you’d set out on a new adventure that would probably involve lots of time travel and messes with the space-time continuum, how Wild hated you, etcetera etcetera. 

“Oh dear Hylia above,” Andi groaned. “See, this is why you don’t deactivate us.” 

When your friends were deactivated, they were essentially knocked out. You probably should have activated them earlier, but you didn’t know how to without looking completely insane.

“I didn’t know a huge life-changing event would happen!” You argued. 

“Of course not, but we still can’t miss this kind of information. Plus, I would have wanted to be there when you guys found out they  _ demanded _ to see you,” Maya said. 

“Exactly!” Kai agreed. “I bet you’re forgetting something right now and don’t even know it! Also, did Zelda make a face when you agreed to meet with them? Because I know that’s what happened. She would never meet with someone who barged in so rudely.”

“Yes, that’s what happened. But I figured it had to be important. And I turned out to be right!” You told them. “What could I be forgetting? I’m pretty sure I covered everything.”

“Well, don’t think we forgot about Farore’s big speech about how you had the blood of five heroes!” Kai reminded you. Sure, they hadn’t technically been there for the said “big speech”, but you had told them about it. “Which of these guys are you related to?”

“Ugh,” You groaned. “You’re right, I did forget to tell you guys about that. I’ll show you. See that guy with the mint green tunic and the Master Sword on his back?” 

“The one napping against a tree?” Andi asked. 

“Yup. He’s the first King of Hyrule,” You told them. 

“WHAT?” They all yelled at you. You nodded.

“That means he’s our…” Andi trailed off, dragging a hand down his face. “Really great grandfather.” 

“The greatest,” You agreed.

“Well?” Kai demanded. “Anyone else?”

“I have a few theories, but otherwise I got nothing,” You admitted. 

“Also, the Master Sword? How is that even possible? I haven’t seen her since…” Andi bit his lip.

“Yeah,” You mumbled. 

“I miss her, even if she was kind of annoying.” Maya sighed. If she had been solid you would have elbowed her. She was kind of right, though.

Everyone hummed in agreement. 

“I feel so guilty about it. I can’t believe I-” You began. 

“Stop!” All of your companions shouted. 

“No, Link! You aren’t going down this guilt-ridden path again!” Andi scolded. 

“But-” 

“No,” Kai growled. He had quite the scowl on his face. “It wasn’t your fault, Fi told you to.”

“I know,” You sighed. “I know it’s stupid but… I just can’t help but blame myself.” 

“Trust me, I feel the same way whenever I think of Father’s death.” Andi shivered. “I was  _ right there _ and I couldn’t do anything.”

Maya and Kai each put a hand on his shoulders. 

Kai snorted. “You guys are stupid, this is stuff you couldn’t prevent.” Which was his way of saying,  _ don’t blame yourselves _ . 

“I’ve heard stupider things, you guys,” Maya informed us, obviously trying to lighten the mood. “Like Kai’s ridiculous plans.”

Kai gasped in mock surprise, clearly playing along. “My plans are not ridiculous! They are perfectly valid and are always the best idea!”

“Most of your ideas involve arson.”

“Arson is the first thing everyone should resort to!” 

“I bet you died riding a bear that was on fire or something, given your recklessness,” Maya muttered. 

“Excuse me, my death was epic!” Kai responded without a moment of hesitation.

“Funny how you always talk about how epic it is, but we still know literally nothing about it,” You countered

“My death is a secret I will take to my grave,” Kai replied seriously. 

There was a beat of silence before everyone burst into hysterical laughter. 

You heard a sudden yelp of surprise and turned to find Wind gaping at you. 

“No. Way.” Wind breathed. He wasn’t staring at you, but your ghostly friends hovering in shock behind you. He grinned and gave a little wave. “Hi, Fauna’s dead friends! I’m Link, but call me Wind. I’m a sailor and a pirate, so you better believe I curse like one.” You had witnessed first-hand Wind’s sailor mouth, and boy did that kid know how to curse. He had already taught you some new (and very creative) phrases. 

“You… you can see the ghosts?” You asked in a low voice as if saying the words too loud would make them dangerous.

“Yup!” Wind replied. 

“And we didn’t even have to reveal ourselves to you,” Maya mumbled. 

“Oh yeah, that’s right! I forgot some special ghosts can show themselves to regular people.” Wind said. “Anyway, what are your names?” Both Andi and Maya were too stunned to answer, so Kai stepped in.

“Hello, sailor!” Kai greeted, doing some sort of salute. He seemed to have dropped his snarky attitude for the kid. “I’m the former Admiral of the Zonai Navy, Kai. I’ve picked up a few interesting phrases myself while I was sailing the Four Great Seas and beyond!”

“You’re a sailor? Awesome! I wanna hear some of these ‘interesting phrases’!” Wind said excitedly. 

“Oh, sure! Some of the best curses I ever learned are simple, yet some of the most classic, most reliable, most effective ones around. But the best (and my personal favourite) has to be-”

“NOPE!” You interrupted. “Would anyone else like to introduce themselves?” 

Wind pouted, but Kai floated over to him and whispered something in his ear that made him gasp and start giggling like a little girl. 

“Compose yourself, sailor!” Kai barked. “That’s my most creative curse, and you can only use it in the direst of situations. Or if you have an old enemy to insult. Then, and only then, you can use it on the mother-”

“Kai!” You scolded. 

“I wasn’t going to say f-” 

Maya cleared her throat. “My name is Maya, nice to meet you! I can mentor you in magic, strategy, science, battle tactics, you name it! If you have questions, I have answers. I also have blackmail on Wild you might be interested in.”

“Oh! So you’re a smarty-pants like Flora?” Wind gasped. “Also, blackmail? That stuff is more deadly than a sword!”

Flora? Right, she was Wild’s Zelda.

“Maya, just because we know more about Wild that doesn’t mean we can use the information on his personal life as blackmail.” Andi scolded. He paused for a moment before adding, “But can I at least hear this blackmail? For, you know, personal reference.”

You groaned. “Stop, stop, everyone just stop.”

Wind gestured to Andi. “Anyway, who’s he?” 

“Greetings! My name is Andi,” He faltered for a moment and then turned to you. “How much should I tell him?” 

You chewed on your lip. “Wind… can you keep a secret?” 

He made the zip his mouth up motion. He then locked his mouth with an imaginary key and threw it away. 

“What, not going to bury it and build a house on top?” Andi teased. 

“ _ Light _ house,” Kai muttered. 

You cleared your throat. 

“Right right,” Andi said. “I’m Andi, Link- um… I mean Fauna’s brother. And I was the chosen Hero of Hyrule.”

Wind gasped.

“That’s right. At least until I died, five years ago.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway, more rambles.  
> This chapter wasn't beta read so if you see any errors let me know. We're gonna be in a new Hyrule next chapter, where the story is gonna get some action. (Hopefully? Don't quote me on that...) If you have any guesses for where you'll end up, put it in the comments below. If you get it right, you'll be able to request a short story with the Links! Or just one of the Links. I don't judge.  
> Sorry about this being a short chapter. I had too many ideas and too little time. I was going to have you and Wild work out your differences but THAT didn't happen. So maybe in the next chapter. Maybe.  
> Here's something interesting about this chapter: Andi didn't originally exist within the story at all, and Kai and Maya were originally alive. You can yell at me in the comments.  
> The reason I added these characters was for more depth and because I don't really know the reader's personality. I needed some characters to act like different spectrums of my (and possibly your) personality.  
> Oh and one more thing. Link is your name in the story, just in case you didn't pick that up. I know you aren't stupid but just wanted to make sure that's clarified. If your name wasn't Link, you wouldn't get a nickname. Also, I dislike it when stories put Y/N because I always forget to put my name there. (but I guess that's my fault. I just have so much trouble BAHAHA!) Woah, these notes got LONG. Sorry about that.  
> Happy holidays!  
> -The Author  
> P.S. Comments tend to influence the story

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I have a Tumblr now! https://linny-the-champion.tumblr.com/ (if the link doesn't work just search up linny-the-champion on Tumblr. I think you'll be able to find me that way.)  
> Come yell at me there or give prompts, ask questions, request a fanfic between you and another Link (or Links) and you know... just come talk to me!  
> A side note of the fanfic requesting: If you want a fic with your Zelda or Impa or any of my OCs (alive or dead), I can do it! It'll give me a chance to add more to your backstory and add depth to other characters.  
> I'll get my chapters up on my Tumblr, but probably not as fast I will on here.


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